Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts belongs to Square Enix and Disney.
This chapter includes: LeaxIsa, personality discrepancies and a very bad portrayal of the novel by Mark Twain *bows down*.
Chapter Four: The Nobody and The Somebody
Hollow Bastion was a prosperous community, at the worst of times; the sun shone more often than not and most of the population always had enough to eat.
But there would be no story if all the inhabitants were that cheerful and merry.
On the outskirts of town lived a boy with his sister and their parents. Although their father was hardly home and, when he was, either hid in the basement or was too busy arguing with their mum to pay any attention to his children.
You see: Saïx often wandered the streets of Hollow Bastion, if only to escape from the constant bickering of his parents. On this particular walk, the bluenet rolled up his sleeve experimentally, hissing as the chill air flew over his fresh burn. After a few moments the air felt nice and he continued down the street, uncaring of who saw.
The usual excuse: "Ironing really should be left to women," was given casually to his acquaintances who asked. They nodded politely and continued walking, never trusting the impoverished boy. Saïx, rightfully, blamed his mother for his lack of friends, the family's unhappiness and his "clumsiness". Although the boy felt guilty for leaving his sister alone at home alone with the woman, he knew that nothing would happen to mommy's little girl.
On the other side of town a couple was having an argument. It was one they'd had before, but the heat and true anger was certainly new.
"If you don't want to marry me then take it up with your father!" the redhead shouted, his voice echoing down the hall.
"You don't think I've tried? Why would he start taking my wishes into account now, of all times?" the other remarked dryly, though there was a crack in his voice that betrayed that sarcasm.
"He's dying; why don't you wait until then and call off the wedding on your own?" the redhead shouted yet again.
"Hell, Lea, if you hate me that much why don't you talk to your father? Get him to call off the wedding!"
"And have him rant about how it'd be so good for our family if I was part of the Royal Family? No way, got it memorized?"
The second boy, Isa, pinched his nose. "At least the feeling is mutual," he muttered. "From this point on I think it would be best to agree to disagree, as cliché as that sounds," he flicked his hand as he spoke. "Although this whole situation is beginning to sound like most children's stories."
"At least you're the one playing the princess," Lea remarked.
Isa rolled his eyes. "I have to go," he mumbled, making his way to the gates. Lea turned, leaving in the opposite direction.
Isa, the Prince of Hollow Bastion, had always gotten what he'd wanted. Love was never something to fall under that "wanted" category.
Stomping through the streets, contemplating his strange and complicated relationship with Lea, Duke of Neverwas, Isa found himself unable to recognize the neighborhood he'd ended up in. Doing a double-take, he also realized that he couldn't even retrace his steps, as he'd not been paying attention when he'd made them.
Cursing under his breath, the Prince continued down the right side of the filthy street, figuring that he had to, eventually, reach a landmark that he recognized or at least a patrolling guard who could point him in the right direction.
On his way, Isa found himself thinking about the argument he'd had with Lea. The boy sighed. So much was teetering on their relationship: both politically and between the two men involved. On one hand, Isa knew that they could easily remain friends but the Kingdom would suffer if the wedding was called off. On the other hand, if they indeed got married, their friendship would be in serious jeopardy and they could end up truly hating each other.
Because, as much as Isa would say otherwise in front of his redheaded dolt of a fiancé, he really did have strong feelings for Lea. It was, however, made very clear to Isa, on every occasion possible, that Lea certainly did not harbour any romantic feelings for the young Prince.
Huffing angrily, Isa walked a little faster, hoping to maybe expel thoughts of Lea through his lungs. Instead he walked headlong into someone.
Both fell and Isa held his head, making sure it was alright before experimentally prodding his bottom. Flinching and hissing, the boy diagnosed a bruised tailbone. A shadow fell over him and he looked up. The other boy stood over him, offering a hand up. Isa couldn't see the other's face but got a strange feeling from him. He took the hand gratefully and grunted to his feet. When Isa got a good look at the other boy, he nearly fell on his bruised bum again. The stranger had much the same reaction, touching his cheek in surprise.
"You," Isa started quietly.
"You," the other man echoed. "Why...?"
Isa shook his head, at a loss.
"Do I...am I crazy?"
"Assuming we're talking about the same thing," Isa cocked his head to the side, "I think not."
"We look exactly alike!" the stranger exclaimed.
"That was a rhetorical statement, but yes; we do look remarkably like each other," Isa squinted, as if it would change anything. It didn't. "What's your name?"
"Saïx."
"I am Prince Isa," Isa nodded, committing the name to memory. He would have sighed, had he been alone, thinking of Lea.
"Nice to meet you," Saïx brushed his hand on his trousers before extending it. "I've never met Royalty before."
Isa shook the man's hand steadily. "Likewise," he smiled, glad to have found a like-able person.
"What are you doing all the way out here, Highness?" Saïx's eyes narrowed in confusion.
"I needed to take a walk," Isa began carefully, "and I suppose that I was so lost in my thoughts that I seem to have lost my way."
Saïx nodded. "I do that sometimes. When I get to the main plaza I always do a double-take."
Isa smiled wryly. "So: how do I get back to the Castle from here? I should probably visit my father."
"Long live King Diz."
"Thank you. I hope so, too," Isa turned when Saïx pointed, heading back home. He heard, though, rattling steps and turned back, hoping that the guard could escort him home, just in case. Back at the end of the street, a guard approached Saïx. The towering man's face was covered in his helmet but Isa recognized the lumbering movements. The man, Xaldin, exhibited overly aggressive behavior and, before leaving, pushed Saïx into a house.
Isa ran back over, helping Saïx up. "I'm sorry about Corporal Xaldin," the Prince said apologetically. "He used to be nice but, after his son died, he's become a different person."
"I wish I could live in your shoes for a day," Saïx sighed. "Then I could punish that lumbering oaf."
"The wish is mutual, I'm afraid. I'm having my own troubles, you see," Isa pinched the bridge of his nose, remembering again.
"So let's switch places!"
Isa looked up at his double. "You're serious?"
"Why not? Let's switch clothes and meet back here to-morrow evening to switch back!"
Isa mulled the idea over, considering all of the things that could go wrong. "Alright," he finally said. "We'll meet here at sunset to-morrow night to switch back."
Saïx smiled, pulling the Prince back and into an abandoned house. He brushed cobwebs out of the way, leading to the back of the building. Isa's eyebrows rose, more than a little suspicious of his doppleganger's frantic actions.
When they finally stopped, Isa surveyed the room they'd ended up in. A dark curtain covered a single window but a sliver of sunlight peeked over the top of the curtain rod, highlighting every dust particle as they settled on the small piano. The Prince ran his finger over the dark mahogany wood, smiling vaguely, hoping he'd be able to play a duet with Lea some day.
"Sorry about that," Saïx said. "I got a little carried away," he scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
Isa nodded. "Let's get this over with," he started pulling off his shirt and muscle shirt in one swoop. Saïx did the same and soon they had completely switched clothes.
Saïx closed the door, revealing a floor-length mirror. He pulled Isa in front of it, too. The Prince gasped, his hand flying to his mouth. It looked like it was Saïx who'd moved. The boys' matching yellow eyes widened almost comically.
"This could actually work," Isa breathed, lowering his hand. Saïx nodded, his eyebrow arched, confused. "We should probably go to each other's homes. I can't be gone for too long," Saïx nodded again, holding the door open for Isa. "Thank you, Your Highness," the disguised Prince remarked. The boys laughed as Saïx gave Isa directions to his home until they reached the streets again. At that point, they blanked their faces and headed in the directions of the other's home, waving one last time before simultaneously turning corners.
Saïx whistled cheerily for the first time in months on his way to the Castle. Everyone he passed smiled and some even bowed! The humble man nodded sheepishly at each person. He was lost in his merry thoughts when a man threw open the door to a house, running into the street and intercepting Saïx.
"Your Highness: please come inside. I have a favour to ask of you."
"Of course," Saïx followed the man into the house. The man motioned to a woman on the sofa. She had a blanket over her legs and was holding a bloody baby who was crying and wrapped in a towel.
"Your Highness," the woman breathed slowly, "would you please bless our new baby?"
Saïx was slightly taken aback for a moment before he smiled. "Of course, ma'am," he approached the baby. He took the babe into his arms. "What's his name?"
"Diz," the man said, holding his wife's hand. "We named him after your father, hoping that our son would adopt the kindness and generosity that has bestowed the land during his reign. Long live the King."
"Thank you," Saïx nodded. No pressure for Isa or anything, he thought sardonically. Using the towel, Saïx wiped blood from the newborn's forehead. "Welcome to the world, little Diz. May you make your parents proud," the bluenet kissed the child's forehead where he'd cleared the blood. The babe continued to shriek and squirm so he returned Diz to the parents, who thanked him and allowed him to leave.
Saïx continued to the Castle, amazed that Isa could make people happy so easily. He wished it was that easy as himself, too.
The guards let him in without question and he made it up to Isa's chambers without a problem, as the guard outside the door opened it as he approached and said: "Your room, Highness."
Saïx removed his shoes at the door, taking longer than he'd expected to undo all the buckles and zippers. When he was done, he flopped on his back on the four-poster bed in the centre of the room.
"What's gotten into you?"
"Ah!" Saïx sat up, not expecting anyone else to be in the room. "Sorry," he sighed, "I didn't expect you to be here," he boy was relieved to recognize Duke Lea: Isa's fiancé.
"Your father said it would be best if I moved into your room," the redhead said cautiously. "He expects to pass any day. His Majesty requested that we get used to sharing a bed. I - I tried to protest but he'd have none of it," Lea looked at the desk he was sitting in front of. "Sorry."
"I'm sure you tried your best," Saïx sighed, flopping on the bed once again. "It would be pointless to fight, at this point," the bluenet closed his eyes.
The chair Lea sat in scooted backward and the Duke leaned over the false Prince. "Are you well?"
Saïx opened his eyes, wishing that the man would let him rest until dinner. "Tired, is all. Corporal Xaldin was harassing the peasants again."
Lea's eyes narrowed has he nodded. Doing a double-take, his eyes widened again, staring right into Saïx's. "Who are you?" he whispered. "You're not Isa."
"What are you talking about?" Saïx rolled over, hoping to get the man to leave.
"You're different," Lea persisted. "I can see that."
"Do I look any different than I did this morning?"
Lea made an affirmative noise. "There's something about you that I just can't place. I'll tell you when I'm sure, you can count on that."
Saïx nodded sleepily. "You do that," he mumbled before drifting into the best sleep he'd had in a long time.
Isa decided to find Corporal Xaldin before going to Saïx's house. It didn't take long to find the man, who was only patrolling a small area. As Isa approached, the man tightened his grip on his spear experimentally.
"Hello, Corporal," Isa started, his head low. "I'd like to apologize for earlier. I shouldn't have provoked you."
The man scoffed. "Harassing the Prince like that is unacceptable," he said, not looking at the bluenet. "I'm glad you've realized that."
Isa stood straight, angry. "Excuse me?" he quickly composed himself. "I thought that, perhaps, it was something that I've done previously that offended you," he head cocked in confusion. "You threw me into the wall because I was talking to the Prince? That's absurd! I wasn't harassing him! He accidentally bumped into me so I helped him up and we were merely talking. I haven't done anything wrong!"
Xaldin chuckled darkly. "You've grown a pair, haven't you? Should we take this conversation somewhere else?"
Isa blanched, certainly not able to hold his own in hand-to-hand combat. "Of course not, Corporal. I assure you, we can work this out diplomatically instead of resorting to violence," Isa held up his hands defensively.
"You're all cowards at heart," Xaldin said.
"I'm not done with you," Isa hissed before walking past, on his way to Saïx's house. He heard the intimidating man chuckle menacingly again but Xaldin made no move, letting his prey think he'd gotten away safely, no doubt. Oh, I'll deal with you in due time, Isa thought, feeling remorse for the bully who had been so kind-hearted before he'd lost everything.
Isa finally found the house Saïx had described, turning the handle slowly. He took off his shoes once inside the other boy's room. He sat slowly on the bed, hearing the springs squeak under his weight.
Someone knocked on the door and Isa startled before saying: "Come in."
A small girl with the same blue hair closed the door behind her. "Thank you for coming back," she said. "I know you hate us," she sat on the floor.
Isa sat on the floor beside the girl – Saïx's sister. "I don't hate you," he said, rubbing her back cautiously. "Why do you think I came back?" he smiled.
"Because you always come back," she giggled a little bit, the faith in her brother evident in her eyes. "I know Mommy's mean to you but I don't know what I'd do without you," there was a silence.
Isa's hand dropped and he leaned over the girl, trying to get her not to cry. The child took a few deep breaths before straightening.
"How are your burns?" she asked.
"Burns?" Isa looked at her quizzically.
"The ones she gave you before? On your arms?"
Isa's eyes widened, realizing why Saïx had been so intent on trading lives. The Prince pulled his sleeves down lower on his arms self-consciously, hoping it came across right to the girl. "They're, uh, burning," he said, looking down.
She nodded. "Maybe you should get out of here," she said. "Mommy never hurts me so I'll be okay."
"Are you sure? I don't want to leave you alone –"
She shook her head. "You're not safe here, Saïx," she looked in Isa's eyes steadily. "I am. I want you to be happy."
Isa nodded, meeting the girl's gaze. "I'll think about it, okay?" he vowed mentally that he'd do something to help Saïx out of the awful family situation the boy lived in. "Why don't you head along and let me think for a bit?"
She nodded, getting up and leaving with a shy wave.
Saïx woke to a light shake of the shoulder. He moaned unhappily, blinking his eyes open until a redhead came into view.
"We've been called for dinner," Lea clarified as Saïx sat up. "You sure were out, huh? I've never seen you sleep before…" he trailed off, seemingly uncomfortable with what he said.
Saïx waited a little curiously before sitting up. "Thanks for waking me," he said, straightening his shirt. "I'm starving," he laughed a little, nervously.
Lea laughed nervously, too, extending his hand. Saïx took the hand, smiling as he let the shorter man help him up.
"I can almost smell it from here," Lea looked into Saïx's eyes, a bit too close for comfort. Saïx shifted, sensing a double entendre in the redhead's words. Nevertheless, he followed his 'fiancé' to the dining hall, wondering what he'd be eating for his first meal in the Castle. Saïx tried his best to remain stoic but he couldn't hide the smile he had on his face.
"What's up with you?" Lea was, again, looking into Saïx's eyes.
"I'm just in a good mood right now," the bluenet said nonchalantly. He was starting to get unnerved by Lea but he didn't want to say anything because he was afraid that the Duke might be like that all the time and didn't want to bring any unnecessary attention to himself.
Lea nodded and didn't say anything for the rest of their journey but Saïx still felt the sweltering teal gaze on him the whole time.
When they sat down, Saïx melted into his seat beside King Diz, hoping that the blond wouldn't be nearly as suspicious as Duke Lea. All fears were cast aside when the man saw how frail the King looked. All the images of Diz were strong and he always had a heroic smile. Reality wasn't anything like that. The King was pale and hunched over his food. He shivered constantly, though the hall was quite warm, and he had lost a lot of muscle mass.
"Father," Saïx whispered. The man turned to the bluenet slowly, trying his best to smile like Saïx remembered. "How are you feeling?"
"Tired," he replied honestly, sighing. "I only come down to dinner so no one will worry."
Saïx felt oddly grateful for Isa's close relationship with the King. He felt that there was so much he could learn from such a man, sick and frail as he may be.
"Don't push yourself, Father," Saïx put a hand on the man's shoulder. "Everyone will understand if you take your meals in your room."
"You always were a gentle boy at heart, Isa, but eventually you have to put the needs of the many before the needs of the one. Hollow Bastion needs a King right now and I've been doing it for so long that I can't abandon my people now," Diz put his hand on Saïx's shoulder as well. "You'll know that need soon enough, son."
Saïx shook his head. "Don't say that. Diz went to say something. "I know it's true just…don't remind me, okay?" Saïx looked down into his dinner.
Diz nodded, putting a spoonful of tomato soup in his mouth. The bluenet could be mistaken, but he thought he heard the King say something like "You're what I'll miss most."
Isa sat up abruptly when his door hurled open. A woman of about forty leaned on the door frame, her eyebrows raised.
"Where were you?" she barked.
"I just took a walk," Isa looked her in the eyes challengingly. Her eyes narrowed and she strode towards him quickly. Before the Prince could react: Saïx's mother grabbed his jaw with one hand, holding it in place with more power than he'd expected. She met his gaze and leaned over him, forcing him to look up at her. Isa hissed through his teeth, humiliated by the upper hand he'd given the woman through pure underestimation.
She smiled. "A walk, eh?" her amber eyes glinted. "Where to?"
"The square," Isa said as best he could. "Sat for a bit then came back. Needed some air."
"Air," she echoed in a whisper, sending a chill up the bluenet's spine. Her nails started to dig painfully into his cheeks and he winced. "Hurt, does it, love?" When Isa didn't respond she let go and slapped him hard. "Answer your mother," she shrieked.
Isa said nothing, meeting her gaze again, his own amber eyes glinting. He sat straight, gaining some height, before finally addressing her.
"Don't touch me," he looked directly at her, calm and collected. She just laughed and left the room, closing the door on her way out.
Isa slumped when her footsteps reached the other end of the house. Wiping the thin film of perspiration from his brow, the Prince put his shoes back on and decided to go for another walk. He wanted to grab a jacket but he didn't know which one was Saïx's (if the other boy even owned one, that is) so Isa left the house as quietly as possible, hoping that the crazy woman hadn't noticed.
Isa walked down the street towards the square, hoping to have a friend of Saïx's recognize him so he wouldn't be alone. To his dismay, a few people acknowledged him but none stopped to talk. He started fearing that his double had no friends. But that's absurd...right?
Once Isa reached the square he sat on a bench, idly watching the Moogle man his (her?) store. The plaza was unusually empty, only a few middle-to-upper class people milled about, minding their own business. The Prince let himself relax into the bench, not particularly caring that a few stray pieces of wood jabbed into his back. He felt himself drifting off and didn't try to stay awake, needing a break from both Saïx's life and his own...
Isa stands in the sun's glow, though he cannot see, only feel the heat on his body. Wondering why he cannot see, Isa lifts his hands to his face. He feels rags covering his whole head and suddenly can't breathe. Isa pulls the cloth from himself in a panic, thrusting it to the ground in a heap. Taking in his surroundings, the Prince stands in the throne room, light streaming through the windows. Isa is in his own clothes, satin flowing over his shoulders, a cape reaching his ankles. He looks up to the King's throne, the High Chancellor standing in front of it, holding the King's crown in his hands. Lea stands, too, tapping his foot impatiently, a look of desperation on his face.
"Come, Highness," the Chancellor calls. "Your coronation is starting."
Isa feels himself sweating and sets his eyes on the throne, striding proudly, ready to be King. He notices after a few paces, though, that he seems to be getting no closer to his goal.
The ground tilts as well so that soon Isa is bent over, almost crawling up an impossibly steep hill. He quickens his pace but it is no use; no amount of effort gets the Prince any closer to his goal. He stops and looks around. Rows of faceless people watch him humiliate himself.
"Perhaps I'm not ready for the throne," Isa murmurs.
"Nonsense," the faceless people shout back in unison. "You are more ready than your father was. Our King is dead. Only you can take his place."
"Then why won't you let me ascend?" Isa hears the door open behind him and whirls. The blue-haired girl stands, her cloud-coloured eyes staring at him. Her shirt's bedazzled and says 'Mommy's Little Girl' in pink rhinestones. Her hand extends towards him, as if offering something to him. Isa's chest rips and burns and he claws his ruffled shirt off, scratching at his flesh. Looking down, he sees 'LIAR' etched into his clavicle the blood distorting the letters as it drips. Horrified, he looks back to Saïx's sister but she's gone. He whirls back to the Chancellor but he's gone, too. Isa sees a hurt look on Lea's face before he sees the crown flying through the air towards him. As the crown falls, the floor tips until Isa's falling upside-down in the dark.
Isa threw his head back, gasping, but his breath was cut off as a canvas sac was thrown over his head. Isa struggled but something hard hit the back of his skull and he passed out again.
Saïx, more full than he'd ever been, waddled back to his room. After some quick rooting, he found Isa's pajamas. he went behind the privacy partition and changed quickly before Lea got there, afraid that he'd notice a small difference in a mole or something.
Luckily Saïx was in full pajamas by the time Lea came in . He blinked when he saw the bluenet.
"Still tired?" he asked, going to his armoire, which had been moved during dinner.
"Yeah," Saïx said sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "I guess seeing the King so...old...really took a lot out of me."
Lea only nodded, changing behind the privacy partition as well. Saïx was relieved, realizing that Lea and Isa hadn't been intimate before. A weight lifted from his shoulders and he found himself smiling. Lea came back in his own bottoms - no top, apparently - and stood at the edge of the bed. He looked to the covers to Saïx then behind himself and back to the covers again. Saïx slid over, making room. Lea's eyes widened but he slid under the comforters anyways. The redhead put a hand on Saïx's shoulder, smiling at him lovingly. Saïx returned the look, smiling a little goofily but hoping that he could keep up the ruse for the night.
"I knew it!" Lea leaped onto Saïx, pinning the bluenet's body between his knees and holding Saïx's hands above his head in a somewhat provocative position. "You've been acting un-Isa-like ever since you returned. I figured it wasn't him. No one else saw it but I did. Your eyes: they're not the same."
Saïx struggled a little. "Let me go; I can explain!"
"Save it," Lea spat. "You'll have to use your breath for your last words. You'll be executed for this, and rightfully so. To think I almost slept beside you!"
"Please! Isa is safe, I promise! If you'll wait a moment I can tell you what happened. You don't even have to let me go: just allow me to explain."
Lea's eyes narrowed. "Fine. But if I don't believe you then it's straight to the dungeons."
Saïx nodded, hoping with all of his heart that Lea was as rational as he'd been before Saïx had done...something...wrong. The bluenet explained slowly, knowing that his life depended on what he said and how he said it. Lea relaxed at the end, letting Saïx sit up. "What was it that finally proved it?" he asked.
"The compassion you exhibited towards me," Lea sighed, looking away. "Isa and I are always yelling at each other. Your indifference to me moving in was what tipped me off at first but your continuous kindness increased my suspicion throughout the afternoon, though I'm sure you were only trying to treat me how you thought Isa would.
Saïx nodded. "I could see that you didn't trust me but I had no idea what to do about it," he tilted his head, looking at Lea. "You love him, don't you?"
The Duke startled, turning to Saïx.
"Don't deny it," the bluenet smirked. "It's so obvious."
"Don't tell him, got it memorized?"
Saïx winked, then furrowed his brow, sure he'd looked silly. He became serious, though. "You two will have to at least like each other, though, if you're getting married. Although..." the impostor Prince trailed off, thinking of his parents and trying to remember a time when they were happy. "I'd think that the King and Queen should love each other, being the main role models of all of Hollow Bastion."
"You're thinking hastily," Lea leaned on the headboard, crossing his arms behind his head and looking at the ceiling. "Isa doesn't love me."
A knock on the door interrupted their conversation. Two men pulled a mini grand piano into the room once invited in. "Where do you want it?"
Saïx looked at Lea desperately. The redhead pointed over to a clear corner by the window. The men bowed a little, closing the door behind them.
"You play?" the bluenet looked at his new friend.
"We do: Isa and I," he elaborated. "I've only heard him a couple of times though; he's really shy about it."
"Have you ever played together?"
Lea shook his head. "I don't think he'd want to."
"I don't know," Saix said disin'genuously. "He seemed wistful when he saw that other piano. He could have been thinking of you."
Lea laughed sarcastically. "Sure. I'll believe that one when I see it."
"Has he heard you play?"
"Plenty of times," Lea closed his eyes. "If I start a song I always finish it, no matter how urgent the perturbation.
"Would you play for me?"
Lea sat up and stared at his fiancé's double. "For you?" Saïx nodded. "I suppose. Do you play?" Saïx shook his head. Lea went over to the piano, illuminated by the sunset. He started high, quickly transitioning down the keys with a chromatic scale. From there, the Duke got into the main phrase: a slow melody full of emotion. He closed his eyes, rocking into each press of the keys; every depression of the pedals. The tune changed tempo every once in awhile, telling a story. When he was done, Lea opened his eyes, a frustrated look on his face.
"It's not done," Saïx said, confused as to why the redhead had stopped.
"I haven't finished it," the stubborn Duke sighed.
"You – you wrote that?"
"Yeah. I plan to play at it at our wedding but…I don't know how to finish it. I don't know how our relationship will fare."
Saïx nodded. "It's beautiful," he said, a little dazed by the musical talent that he'd been presented with. "What key is it in?"
"A major," Lea smiled sadly, sitting back on the bed. "Isa's favourite."
"We switch back this time to-morrow," the bluenet got comfortable under the covers. Lea did the same. "Why don't you come with me? You can confess then."
Lea had already fallen half-asleep. "Mhmm," he grunted. Saïx wasn't one hundred percent sure he'd been heard, but he had high hopes for the future.
A cold wash fell over Isa's head, jolting him awake. Spluttering, the Prince tried to take in his surroundings. He was tied to a low ceiling by his wrists, his feet resting on the floor comfortably but he was still exposed. He'd been stripped of his shoes and socks and the concrete floor was cold. A faint light shone from a fluorescent on the wall and a man stood in front of him. Short, balding. Another stood by the door. Taller, arms crossed, a lot of hair.
"Where am I?" Isa said.
"That's irrelevant," the short one said, tossing a bucket to the floor. Isa named him 'Brains' for the time being. "Your family should get word of your whereabouts soon enough."
"What are you talking about?"
The big guy, 'Brawn', chuckled. "Don't play dumb," he said. His voice was low and gruff as if he wasn't accustomed to using it.
"When they pay, you get to go home," Brains said. "Your father is a very stupid man for crossing us."
"And who, exactly, is "us"?" Isa kept looking around, trying to find a way out.
"Stalling will get you no-where," Brains turned swiftly, punching the Prince in the gut. Isa hunched forward, choking on his saliva a little, his breath gone. He stood straight, not letting on how winded he was. Isa looked at the man in front of him.
"You will very much regret that," the bluenet said calmly.
This time both men laughed. "I suppose I'll have a lot of things to regret then, by the time I'm done with you," Brains punched Isa in the face this time. The Prince kept his mouth open so he wouldn't break his teeth. He noticed the short man coming at him so Isa jumped, grabbing the rope up higher and kicking Brains back with both feet. The torturer was thrown back and hit the wall a few feet back, cracking his head on the drywall and slumping to the floor, out cold.
Brawn narrowed his eyes, stalking over to Isa. "You're going to regret that for the rest of your miserable little life," he growled.
"No," Brains choked out, regaining consciousness quickly. "We need him alive."
"Just alive?" the larger man's muscles rippled as he flexed them in anticipation.
Brains nodded. "Try not to do too much permanent damage," he sneered, scratching his head where a little blood trickled from one of his bald-spots.
Brawn turned back to Isa. "Anything else to say, brat?"
"Listen to me: I am Prince Isa. I'm not the boy you wished to kidnap. If you don't let me go you'll be executed, I can assure you of that," Isa steeled his eyes.
"A Prince, eh? Perhaps we should double the ransom," Brains chuckled as Brawn's fist closed in on Isa's eyes.
Saïx and Lea pulled their hoods higher as a chill swept through the main plaza. The Prince's impersonator led the way through the impoverished part of town, not stopping for anyone. He'd grown up on those very streets but sunset was never a safe time to be out for anyone. He did stop, though, when he stood outside the building where he and Isa had switched lives. Lea sneezed and a cat ran out from behind a dumpster, causing the redhead to jump.
"You grew up out here?" he stood a little closer to Saïx, pulling his cloak closer to his body.
Saïx only nodded, looking for any sight of the true Prince. "C'mon, Highness," he whispered finally, "don't make me go home."
But Isa didn't come. Two hours ticked by and no one came by. Saïx took off towards his house. Lea followed. They stood outside the poor boy's house soon.
"You live here?" Lea's remarks were starting to irritate Saïx so he didn't acknowledge the Duke.
He knocked.
A girl answered, looking from Saïx to Lea. "Can I help you?" she asked, looking behind her.
Saïx bit the inside of his cheek, seeing his sister not recognize him. "I am Prince Isa," he lied. "May I speak to your mother, please?"
The girl nodded, calling behind her. "Mommy: the Prince is here!" Soon Saïx's mother came to the door. She smiled kindly and ushered the boys in, settling them on the couch and giving them some cookies.
"What could be the occasion for your Highness' to grace our home?" she sat across from the boys' spots on the couch.
"We're looking for your son," Lea said calmly.
The woman bristled. "He's not here. Why? What did he do this time?"
"Nothing, ma'am," Saïx continued when Lea gaped. "He simply has missed a rendezvous with us and I was worried that something could have happened."
"You think that I did something to him?" she started fidgeting. "He didn't come home last night and he's been gone ever since. I have no idea what's happened."
Saïx nodded. "I see. Thank you for your time, ma'am," he rose and went to the door. Lea followed him. The little girl stood by the door, eavesdropping. "Is she telling the truth?" Saïx didn't trust his mother as far as he could throw her. His sister looked into Saïx's eyes and nodded eagerly.
"Bring my brother home safe, Highness," she murmured. Saïx ruffled her hair like always.
"Promise," he said before the men left.
They went back to the rendezvous spot, just to make sure. When Saïx relaxed, Lea stood in front of him.
"Does she always talk about you like that?"
The bluenet sighed. "I had hoped that she cared about me at least a little. I guess now I know that she doesn't," Saïx rolled up his sleeves, showing Lea the burn he'd gotten the previous day.
The redhead hugged his friend, not letting go until another cat scared him.
Saïx laughed. "Let's go. We can look for Isa in the morning."
"Yeah," Lea looked sideways at the Prince's double as they walked. "How old is your sister? What's her name?"
"She's about ten. Mum found her in the street and calls her a miracle. Mum never wanted me. Never wanted a child of her own. Her name…I don't think she has one. Mum and Dad never officially named her. We all call her different things, but I call her 'Aqua'."
Lea nodded. "It suits her," he smiled.
"It's better than what Dad calls her: 'Kerri'." Lea made a face. "I know. Mum calls her 'Willa'. It's not bad, I suppose. Her friends call her that, too, so I guess you could call it her name. She'll always be Aqua to me, though."
"Which one does she like best?"
"I really don't know. She doesn't tell anyone that I call her Aqua, though. I don't know if that's a good thing or if she's embarrassed."
"I think she really cares about you," Lea slipped his hand into Saïx's.
Saïx squeezed Lea's hand, relishing his first close relationship outside of his house. He hoped that he'd be able to stay friends with the redhead even after Isa came back to his place as Prince of Hollow Bastion.
Isa stands outside his bedroom. He doesn't have to look around to tell that he's alone. The Prince is in ankle-length pajama bottoms and it's dark out but he's warm. Cautiously, Isa turns the door handle. The door opens without complaint, silent although it usually creaks. Everything in the room is completely black except for a candle light flickering from behind the curtain around the bed. Isa pulls the curtains aside swiftly, revealing an empty bed with one candle burning on the headboard.
"You didn't think I'd be in your bed, did you?" A voice speaks from behind Isa. The bluenet turns and, out of the darkness, Lea steps into the candle's glow, hands in his pockets.
"No," Isa looks his fiancè in the eye. "I was afraid that someone threatening was waiting for me."
"Like you'd be able to do anything about it," Lea scoffed. "You couldn't even avoid getting caught by a couple of low-level gangsters."
"How could I have know that Saix's family is involved with the mob?"
Lea just shakes his head before walking away. His disembodied voice echoes through the room: "You'll never get what you want until you put all irrelevant forces aside and simply take it. Until you embrace what you truly desire: you won't have anything to hold on to."
"Lea; wait! I'm ready to be King. I - I want to live up to my father's leadership."
Lea laughs. "Obviously. You'll get that whether you try or not. This is bigger than that. Until you accept your own need for happiness...well...you won't be happy."
Three days had passed and there was still no sign of Isa. The pair had put up fliers and had given instructions to the guards to bring the boy to the Prince should they find him. Every search came up empty and Isa didn't show up during the nights when Lea and Saïx went to meet him. It seemed that the true Prince had disappeared for good.
"I didn't realize he hated his life so much," Lea said after the fourth night of going across town. "I should have been more compassionate with him."
"He's not a child," Saïx sighed. "I don't think he ran away. He's still in Hollow Bastion. He's been tied up somehow. My family's not holding him so –" Saïx stopped abruptly.
"What? What is it?" Lea shook the bluenet.
"My dad…owes the mob money…they probably took him, thinking he was me…shit: they could be anywhere!"
"Holy shit!" Lea's whole body shook. "We – we have to find him! He could be dead or – or worse!"
Saïx blanched. Not only was he afraid of what might happen if he'd accidentally killed the Prince but also because the bluenet felt that he'd made some sort of connection with Isa by understanding what his life is like.
"I'll up the search team," Saïx said. "Has Xaldin come back yet?"
Lea shook his head. "He's probably sulking since he's supposed to be looking for you and…well…he hates you."
Saïx sat on the bed, holding his head in his hands. "Why did I put Isa into my life? I wanted this for my own selfish reasons and I didn't even consider what could happen."
"I really want to say that it's not your fault but dude…it totally is. And I don't want to blame you because you couldn't have guessed that this would happen but…you could have taken the risks into account! If you knew your family was indebted to the mob why would you put Isa into that kind of situation!"
"We were only switched for a day! I – I was selfish, I know, but I'm going to do everything within my power, which is actually Isa's, to get your fiancé back safely. You have to trust me.
"Whatever happens, you have to trust me that I'll never give up on finding Isa. I promise."
Lea stared at Saïx for a long time, not saying anything. His expression remained blank until he finally said: "The wedding is scheduled for tomorrow."
The bluenet stood up and sat back down in shock. "What?"
"You didn't know? Everyone has been fussing over the both of us for the last couple of days; I thought you'd have picked up on it if someone hadn't mentioned it outright," Lea's eyebrows pushed upwards worriedly. "You'll have to go through with it and, when we find Isa, you two can make the switch discretely."
Saïx nodded, biting his lip. "We'll get married, find Isa and put everything back to normal, though it would be nice if it weren't in that order."
"We're going to have to kiss, you know," Lea's face scrunched up.
Saïx got a panicked look on his face. "I've never kissed anyone before."
"I'll be gentle, I promise," Lea sneered, a smile on his face.
"You're a big joker, you are," the impostor laughed, falling back onto the bed.
"That's me," the redhead said, his smile becoming sad for a split second. "Let's go to sleep. We've got a big day ahead of us."
Isa stands, again, in the throne room, by the door. Only the Chancellor and Lea are in the room, otherwise, over by the thrones.
The older man doesn't hold the crown this time, but a small, leather-bound book. Lea looks anxious. Isa puts his hands in his pockets nervously. He feels something in his left pocket and pulls it out. A small gold band sits in his palm. A wedding ring.
Isa sneaks a glance at Lea, who suddenly looks hopeful. The redhead pulls a gold ring of his own out of his pocket, holding it out to Isa, a shy smile on the Duke's face. Isa tries to run to the boy but his feet are stuck to the floor. He takes a deep breath.
A sharp slap to the face woke the Prince up. "Water," he said, his voice cracking. Brawn brought over a full canteen and put it to Isa's lips. The boy drank greedily, coughing a little when a drop went down the wrong way. "Thank you," he said when Brawn put the canteen back on the floor. "How long has it been?"
"Four nights," Brains said. "Families usually contact us as soon as possible."
"My parents don't care about me," Isa had given up quickly on convincing the youngsters that he was the Prince. "They're probably glad that I'm gone," he said, spitting out a little blood.
"Usually I'd find that hard to believe but I'm starting to…Do you have any siblings?" there was something in Brain's eyes that told Isa the short man already knew but just wanted an excuse to hit Isa when he lied. So he didn't.
"Yeah. A younger sister," he hung his head, suddenly feeling light-headed.
"Sweet thing," Brawn sneered. "Your dad calls her Kerri, right?" Isa nodded, hoping he wasn't being tricked. "It doesn't suit her," the muscles mused.
"I agree," Isa really did. 'Kerri' didn't suit the girl at all. The Prince hoped that he could keep up the ruse long enough.
Saïx stood behind the doors to the throne room, dressed all in black. How ironic, he thought, that the King should pass the night before Isa's wedding, turning it into a coronation as well. Peachy.
The attendants, also dressed in black, opened the door simultaneously. A high note sounded from the piano in the throne room and the doors opened fully as Lea's fingers deftly went down the chromatic scale. Looking straight at the thrones, Saïx stepped forward in time to the music. The redhead was on the other side of the room, playing, though not with as much conviction as he had had the last time Saïx had heard it. He wondered if Lea had made up a tentative ending for this ceremony. Everyone in the hall had happy expressions, thrilled that their beloved 'Prince' was finally taking his rightful place on the throne.
Saïx was about halfway across the room when a shout rang through the hall. Lea didn't stop playing but Saïx turned. Xaldin stood, hunched over, panting. A few guards looked like they wanted to drag him away but didn't dare anger the scary man.
"Your Highness," he panted. "I've found him. I found Saïx. His sister begged me to help. I wouldn't have if…if my Ienzo hadn't been good friends with her but I found him!"
Saïx turned to Lea. "Lea! He's found Isa!"
Lea turned his head, fingers stopping where they were. He seemed shell-shocked for a moment but quickly ran to Saïx. "Show me where he is," Lea said.
The girl stepped out from behind Xaldin.
"Aqua?" Saïx's eyes widened.
"Saïx?" she ran and tackle-hugged the bluenet. "Let's save the Prince," she said. "You'll explain this later."
He nodded, joining hands with Lea, the four of them taking off and leaving everyone else very confused.
Isa stands in the throne hall yet again. The Chancellor holds the crown and Lea smiles encouragingly. Isa doesn't care what the crotchety old man has to say.
"Why?" Isa shouts at Lea. "Why didn't you look for me?"
"Didn't look for you? Isa: I looked for you every night. I followed Saïx every night to your meeting place! I planned to tell you that...that I -"
"I love you!"
Isa clamps his hands over his mouth when he realizes that it was he who yelled. "I - I mean..."
Lea smiles wide, his teal eyes lighting up. He opens his arms, inviting a hug. Isa smiles just as beautifully, running to the redhead. No obstacles get in his way. In fact, he almost flies to the Duke. They embrace, the High Chancellor puts the crown on Isa's head and -
"Isa!"
A crash awakened the bluenet. His eyes jerked open and he saw Lea in the door-frame, the door itself kicked off it's hinges. Behind Lea stood Xaldin. The two entered, followed by Saïx and his sister. The redhead ran over to Isa and began untying him, gracing his fingers over the liaisons and bruises the Prince had acquired.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I've been looking everywhere," Lea whispered under his breath.
Isa put his hand on his fiancé's cheek, looking into his eyes. "I know," he said, smiling. Lea blushed, looking away before leaning forward, meeting Isa's lips with his own. They both closed their eyes, feeling and enjoying each other truly for the first time.
"I love you," Isa said when they pulled away.
"I love you too," Lea said, not letting go.
"Um...guys?"
The couple turned to Xaldin, who held Brains and Brawn by their collars, Both were unconscious.
"Take them to the dungeons," Saïx said. Everyone looked at him. "Sorry. I guess I'm finally getting used to the whole 'Prince thing' just in time to stop, huh?" he scratched the back of his head.
"Well, you could take my place and marry Lea -" the hand Isa had flicked as he smoke got pinned to his side when Lea grabbed him. The redhead looked much like a child. "I guess not," Isa laughed. "But leave those two here. We'll deal with them later."
"Right!" Saïx hit his palm with his fist. "Isa, we've got to get back!" Your coronation-slash-marriage is right now!"
"Well what are we waiting for?" Isa pulled out of his clothes, Saïx did the same and the others turned away, giving the boys their privacy. Once the bluenets were back in their normal clothes, the party ran back to the Castle. All of the towns-people who hadn't made it to the wedding (a select few but they decided that their crops needed tending to, understandably) turned and whispered, some even pointing. Regardless, the group ran back, crashing through the doors to the throne hall. Lea ran forward, sitting at the piano again, taking a moment to catch his breath. Xaldin and Aqua sat in a few free seats. Saïx went to do so as well but Isa put a hand on the poor boy's shoulder, stopping him.
"Could you give me away?" the Prince asked, tears in his eyes. "My father is dead, and I'll mourn later, so I'd be honoured if you would give me away. You and I...we have a connection now, I think. So...please?"
Saïx nodded, smiling more widely and more true than he ever had. Isa put his hand under his double's elbow and the boys walked as Lea played the piano again. The redhead didn't seem as nervous and Saïx figured that the Duke had decided on and ending to the song.
When they got the the High Chancellor Saïx and Isa hugged and Saïx sat down in the nearest clear seat. Isa waited as Lea completed the tune. A few slow, passionate notes in the middle of the keyboard left a beautiful chord resonating through the stone hall.
Isa was full-on bawling by the time Lea stood in front of him. "You wrote that for me?" he whispered. "A major," he laughed a little.
Lea shook his head. "I wrote that for us," he wiped Isa's tears gently.
The ceremony continued without a hitch, Isa was crowned and, finally, married to the man he loved. Their kiss was sweeter than any other kiss shared before.
Everyone was just getting up to file out of the hall when two men somersaulted out from under a pew. Brains and Brawn held rifles to Aqua's head and the head of another person. They looked at the Saïx, recognition spreading across their faces.
They said nothing but fired aimlessly. The bullet bounced off of Xaldin's breastplate and grazed Saïx's face before going out the window.
Brains rushed up to the bluenet, holding a knife to the small wound on Saïx's forehead. His rifle was on the ground, though no one saw him switch weapons.
"Think you can get away that easily, eh?" he sneered in Saïx's face. "Don't move or your sister gets it. Precious little Kerri," he cooed, "you wouldn't want any harm to come to her, now would you?"
"You leave Aqua alone," Saïx hissed.
Brains, with a swift jerk of the wrist, sliced through the bluenet's skin, an 'x' forming. He brought his hands to his face, both because it hurt and to keep the blood out of his face.
In the brief confusion, Xaldin kicked the rifle pointed at Aqua from Brawn's grip, pointing it at him. "I can't believe we forgot about these guys," he said, motioning to the other guards. "Lock them up."
The guards ran forward, knocking the knife from Brains' grip and holding both men fast. They were escorted out and Saïx was escorted out to the medical wing (he was offered a stretcher but wanted to walk on his own). Xaldin and aqua went with him.
Isa turned to Lea, falling into his arms. "He'll be okay," the new Queen said.
"I know," Isa sighed, looking into his husband's teal eyes. "Do you think he'd accept living in the Castle? His home life sucks and...well...I can't just send him back to that, you know?"
Lea nodded. "I'm sure he'd love living here. He feels he has a connection with you and I think that we're best friends, now," he smiled shyly.
Isa pecked Lea on the lips. "I wouldn't be surprised. You guys seem close."
A knock was heard on the other side of the door. Isa gave permission to enter and a couple entered, followed by a guard. The couple approached the Royal Couple angrily. Isa recognized the woman as Saïx's mother.
"Where's my baby? Willa said she had to see you; where is she?"
"Calm down, Ma'am. Your daughter is in the medical wing with Saïx."
"Why? What's happened to her?"
"Nothing. Saïx has been injured and she's merely making sure he's alright. We an have this man escort you to your children."
They both looked much more relieved, though they learned that Saïx was injured. Isa wished they'd just name the girl. He was, by that point, confused as to what her true name was. He really hoped that it wasn't 'Kerri'.
"Let's go tell Saïx and his family the good news," Lea said, taking Isa's hand. The bluenet nodded, glad that nothing truly bad could ever happen to him, his husband and his doppleganger ever again. "And let's promote Xaldin. And give that girl a basket of chocolate - Oh! And then we'll give ourselves a basket of chocolate."
"Alright, Lea, alright. Let's just hope that that mark on Saïx's face doesn't scar."
"Way to jinx it, babe."
"Huh?"
Lea chuckled. "Never-mind."